Multiple Retirement Plans: Plan Services

Overview

You can integrate multiple retirement plan services together and take the guess work out of the logistics.

Balancing all your responsibilities
Managing your retirement program is only one of your many tasks. It is important that the solution you choose lets you focus on the needs of your employees while making the most of your time.

Delivering a broad range of services
We take a holistic approach that helps integrate your retirement program with services that help reduce the amount of administrative work you have to do, so you can be more strategic. This includes:

Plan Sponsor Services – An extension of your plan resources

When you combine your plan services together, you simplify employee benefit data management, speed service to both you and your participants, and ease plan compliance work. It can also lead to faster identification, evaluation and resolution of issues. Our services can include:

Secure access to plan information online

You should have quick and convenient access to plan information. You can easily manage your retirement program and participant information through one secure interface. Once logged in at principal.com, you can:

Conduct administrative tasks online

Track eligibility and key enrollment dates

Access a wide range of retirement plan information

Review reports

Integrate with payroll

View news and economic updates

We have complete control over our proprietary technology infrastructure, which aids system accuracy, flexibility and quality. Our technology and service can free you to think strategically and take action more confidently.

Employer administrative solutions made easier with the Principal® EASE Program

The Principal® EASE Programallows you to reduce your administrative burden by handing off many tasks to us – potentially saving you time and money. We provide a broad suite of distribution, recordkeeping, plan compliance and payroll integration services all designed with your needs in mind.

Promising quality service for your retirement program

Our goal is to provide you with quality service for your retirement program. We're so confident in our ability to provide outstanding service that we warranty it.

We[2] promise to provide quality service in a competent, capable and effective manner. If we don't, we'll either fix the problem or we'll waive the fee for that service. We also indemnify the appropriate fiduciary with respect to their liability, losses, and reasonable expenses directly incurred by them if we fail to perform a particular service in the agreed manner.[3][4]

Compliance services – paying attention to the details

We help you keep your retirement plans in compliance, by paying special attention to compliance details. We provide government forms ready for your review and signature and all the information your auditor needs for a limited scope audit to help keep your retirement plan in compliance with government regulations.

Understanding your fiduciary responsibilities

Almost all qualified plans are subject to the rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). You need a service provider who can help you understand these rules. We can help you manage a number of your fiduciary responsibilities with testing services and ongoing support. In addition, we provide a number of resources to help, including:

Our active participation in Washington, DC allows us to monitor, help shape and analyze legislation and help you understand what it all means to your retirement program. We help you understand your fiduciary role, document your actions, and assist though legislative and regulatory changes.

Participant Services – Helping employees dream again

We know that if employees don't act, they are less likely to enjoy retirement. As a group, employees generally don't know how much to save, how to invest or even when to get started.

Unique education program

We can help participants plan and prepare for retirement, regardless of where they're at in their career or life.

Awareness – A personal approach to boosting the power of your plan

We collaborate with you and your financial professional to help establish education and goals specific to your plan/employee demographics, then measure results to help determine what is and isn't working, and identify potential changes to improve results.

Education – A variety of methods to engage participants through all stages

We deliver retirement plan awareness and education to participants the way they prefer – on-site, on-the-go, or online – for greater engagement.

Participant education services are designed to motivate your participants to act, which in turn can help them plan and prepare for retirement – regardless of where they're at in their career or life.

Planning – Paving the way to help participants dream again

Results show that participants who have a written plan save more than participants who do not, but only a small percentage of participants actually have a written plan.

We continue to support participants as they approach and enter retirement, including helping them to convert savings into income so that it may last throughout retirement.

Reaching employees their way

We employ traditional communication methods as well as new technologies, such as social media, mobile and web technologies, to help reach a more diverse participant base. We also deliver retirement plan awareness and education to participants the way they prefer – on-site, on-the-go or online.

Making it easier to take action

Your participants will also have access to automated solutions, including:

One of the most comprehensive line-ups of retirement-focused lifecycle investment options in the industry.

Developing a plan

Retirement planning is critically important for participants, so we assist participants by providing guidance in developing a written plan.

An exclusive online tool, My Principal Edge Milestones®, helps participants identify their retirement goals, determine if they are on track, and create a personalized, action-oriented guide to help them reach their goals.

Principal Retire Secure conducts a holistic financial needs analysis and helps participants develop a personalized, action-oriented guide to help them take steps to achieve their retirement goals.

Consulting Services – expertise drives solutions

Your relationship team has a depth of expertise in the four major plan types accumulated from working with a broad range of retirement plans. They can work with you and your financial professional to provide assistance on the following issues:

Plan compliance

Distributions

Mergers and acquisitions

Legislative changes

Challenges unique to not-for-profit organizations

If your third-party administrator already provides these services, we can customize your retirement plan service to help meet the needs you do have.

Innovative expertise – explore new approaches

Every retirement program is different – just as every organization is different. Your comprehensive retirement program has to reflect the unique needs of your organization and employee base, a competitive environment and cost constraints.

Adaptive solutions – map out an efficient path

Your consulting team strives to help you arrive at solutions that suit your needs and fulfill your goals, with a minimum of speed bumps along the way.

Have questions?

Provided by Principal Financial Advisors, Inc., a registered investment adviser and member of the Principal Financial Group.

[2]

The service warranty is provided by Principal Life Insurance Company.

[3]

This page is for informational purposes only and does not affect those terms and provisions defined in The Principal Service Warranty document or attachment. For comprehensive warranty details on the levels of coverage we offer, see The Principal Service Warranty document.

[4]

For purposes of nonqualified plans, Principal Life indemnifies the Plan Representative who signs the Service agreement. Principal Life is not a fiduciary in the broader context of operating any plan.

Separate Accounts are available through a group annuity contract with Principal Life Insurance Company, member of the Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA 50392. May not be available in all states or U.S. Commonwealths.

Before investing in mutual funds, investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the funds. This and other information is contained in the free prospectus, which can be obtained from your local representative or by contacting us at 1.800.547.7754. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

The value of the investment options will fluctuate so that when redeemed, shares or units may be worth more or less than the original cost.

No investment strategy, such as asset allocation or diversification, can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values.